On 15 May, a 71-year-old citizen, described as a poet and former security guard, shot Prime Minister Robert Fico multiple times when Fico was greeting supporters after a government meeting in Handlova. Despite being critically injured, Fico survived the shooting. The attacker has been charged with attempted premeditated murder. In a pre-trial detention statement, the shooter cited disagreements with the government policies as the motive for the attack. Politicians in Slovakia and international leaders have condemned the attack. The incident has raised concerns about the polarization of politics in Slovakia, with the interior minister criticizing media outlets and the opposition for their role in shaping public perception. This is Fico’s fourth term as prime minister.

Sources: Startitup, Aktuality (1), Aktuality (2),  Deutsche Welle, Politico, Euronews (1), Euronews (2), International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Reuters, International IDEA

Slovakia held presidential elections, with the first round on 23 March and the second round on 6 April. The nationalist-left government candidate, Peter Pellegrini won over the opposition candidate, Ivan Korčok with 53.0 per cent of the vote. The voter turnout was 61.1 per cent in the second round. The president holds limited power in Slovakia but as an ally of the incumbent government, Peter Pellegrini’s win is expected to strengthen the current Prime Minister Robert Fico’s agenda. All 11 candidates who participated in the first round of elections were men.

Sources: Reuters, State Commission for Elections, Euronews, the Slovak Spectator, International IDEA

The Slovak government, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, has adopted a draft law that would abolish the current public media broadcaster Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) and replace it with a new broadcaster, Slovak Television and Radio (STaR). The government would have more control over who sits on the Board and the Board would have the authority to appoint and remove the director. The primary reasons cited by the government for this change are the alleged bias towards liberal viewpoints within the current RTVS, as well as the alleged dissemination of false information and the incitement of hostility towards the government. Critics, including the opposition and international organisations like Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the European Federation of Journalists, expressed concerns over potential government influence and the impact on media freedom. Despite this, the draft law is expected to pass in June, given the government's parliamentary majority.

Sources: Reporters without borders, Politico, Slovak Spectator (1), Slovak Spectator (2) European Federation of Journalists

The Special Prosecutor’s Office in Slovakia, which oversees cases of high-level corruption, closed on 20 March following reforms to the penal code. The decision was part of reforms, proposed by the government and approved by parliament on 8 February, aimed at providing stronger protection against prosecution for judges, lowering penalties for corruption and fraud, and abolishing the Special Prosecutor’s Office. The reforms were strongly criticized and the European Parliament expressed concerns that they would threaten the integrity of judicial processes. On 28 February, the Slovak Constitutional Court halted several parts of the reform such as prosecution protection and reduced penalties, but the abolishment of the Special Prosecutor’s Office went ahead. The other reforms that were planned to take effect on 15 March are now paused, pending further deliberation.

Sources: Balkan Insight, Euractiv (1), Euractiv (2), Reuters, The Slovak Spectator, European Parliament, Constitutional Court of Slovakia, National Council of the Slovak Republic

The government approved amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act which would remove whistleblower protections extended to police and enable the Attorney General to nullify court decisions granting whistleblower status. In addition, the proposed legislative changes would allow the whistleblower’s employer to appeal against the status. As a next step, the amendments will be put to a vote in Parliament. The new government, led by Robert Fico of the Smer-SD party, has suspended six police investigators at the National Crime Agency (NAKA), responsible for probing organized crime under previous Smer-SD governments. These investigators were given whistleblower status in October 2023 by the Special Prosecutor’s Office for a period of three years. The Interior Minister, Matúš Šutaj Eštok has claimed that the whistleblower status was granted illegally. In November, Eštok survived a no-confidence vote initiated by members of the opposition.

Sources: The Slovak Spectator (1), The Slovak Spectator (2), The Slovak Spectator (3), Euractiv (1), Euractiv (2), Aktuality

The government proposed amendments to the penal code which would dissolve the Special Prosecutor’s Office charged with overseeing high-level corruption cases and weaken penalties for crimes of corruption. Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused the body of bias against his Smer-SD party. On 12 December, thousands of people marched in Námestie Slobody (Freedom Square) in Bratislava and across the country to protest the planned reforms, and an estimated 35,000 people signed an online petition to express their resistance to the proposals. The amendments have been roundly criticized by the EU and the opposition. As a next step, the draft bill will be put to a vote in Parliament via a fast-tracked legislative process. The European Parliament will vote on a resolution in mid-January.

Sources: Renew Europe, Barron’s, The Slovak Spectator, Pravda